


I could get used to this

by Quantumcats



Category: Buzzfeed Unsolved (Web Series), Watcher Entertainment RPF
Genre: First Kiss, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-16
Updated: 2021-03-16
Packaged: 2021-03-24 14:27:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,412
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30073626
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Quantumcats/pseuds/Quantumcats
Summary: A series of touches becoming more commonplace.
Relationships: Ryan Bergara/Shane Madej
Comments: 8
Kudos: 54





	I could get used to this

Ryan and Shane were never outright touchy-feely, least of all when cameras were rolling. Not much past a goofy tap on the shoulder made it into an episode. But once the cameras were off, and all equipment was packed up and accounted for, the walls started to come down a little.

They’d list toward each other walking back to the car, or from the parking lot to the hotel room. They’d knock shoulders with their hands in their pockets, taking their sweet time to meander to their destination, easy tired smiles on both of their faces. It became routine. They would spend the day shooting an episode, and by the time they packed up at some ungodly hour, they’d just be  _ comfortable _ . 

Which is why Shane didn’t flinch too much when Ryan leaned into his shoulder in the back seat at 4am. They still had a ways to go, and Shane wasn’t too surprised that Ryan was exhausted. He’d been downright convinced there was some sort of “presence” the whole investigation. But now, seeing his face so relaxed as he dozed off, it was almost endearing, and Shane couldn’t help the fond smile that bloomed on his lips.

A stray bit of hair fell into Ryan’s face as he got more comfortable, and without thinking, Shane reached over and carefully brushed it away from his eyes. By the time he caught himself, it was too late. His whole body stiffened, bracing for Ryan to give him shit for being so  _ soft _ . But he didn’t. He merely stirred, tilting his head up to look at Shane, giving him a sleepy smile, and relaxed even further against his shoulder.

Shane breathed out carefully. That may have been a little too intimate for a couple of buds, but Ryan didn’t seem to care. So Shane tried not to, either.  
  


\-----

Before too long, traveling naps on one another became commonplace. Any long car or plane ride, one of them was quietly passed out against the other. Sometimes both of them. Ryan would often tuck one or both of his arms against Shane’s side, which annoyed him at first, but eventually he gave in, tilting his head against Ryan’s and closing his eyes, too.

Their habits of course found their way into their movie nights.

At some point, they started being close and comfortable  _ without  _ being tired, no pretense needed. They’d just flop down next to the other on the couch, shoulder to shoulder, nearly hip to hip. It was normal. Their normal.

Ryan passed out just a bit before the credits, and Shane had turned off the tv. It was quiet except for the sound of Ryan’s even breaths. Shane was just comfortable enough to lean back and sleep right there on the couch, but knew he had to shift Ryan to do so. As he did, Ryan made a tiny half-asleep noise of protest, until Shane guided him back down against him. He nuzzled his way back against Shane’s shoulder, closer to his chest now, and fell back into sleep easily.

It took a moment for Shane to realize his hand was still sort of  _ around  _ Ryan’s back, but he didn’t mind as much as he expected to. In fact, he pushed the limit a little more, leaning down to press a gentle kiss - a brush of lips more than anything - to the top of Ryan’s hair, before drifting off to sleep himself.

  
\-----

It was easy that way, for a long while. They were still roughly the same as always on-camera, but off set, they were all touches. Much of it was pretty normal, nothing anyone would look twice at: a pat on the shoulder, a touch of the arm, even a few hugs. But it passed that territory a little when the kisses started.

Ryan would roll over to Shane for something work-related, and before rolling back, he’d press a quick kiss to Shane’s shoulder. And if Shane visited Ryan’s desk, he’d hook his chin over Ryan’s shoulder to watch the screen. Neither of them seemed to think much of it. It was, after all, just  _ their normal. _

And the kisses didn’t stop there. Sometimes in conversation, their hands found one another, just idly touching fingers as if inspecting them. And more than once, Shane pressed a kiss to Ryan’s hand as they talked. Somehow, still, neither of them questioned a single thing about it.

Until March 2020.

What they expected to be a few weeks, maybe a month, quickly became  _ several  _ months with zero touching. They facetimed daily, multiple times a day even, but it wasn’t enough. Something that had been such a constant in their lives was suddenly gone. Neither one of them said it outright, not at first. But they were both  _ aching  _ to be within arms’ reach of one another again. 

It was Shane who spoke up, sometime in the fall.

“I miss you, Ry.” He said, simply enough.

“I miss you too, big guy. But at least we have this.” Ryan gestured to the screen.

“I know, yeah, but I miss being near you, y’know? I can’t hug you through my phone.” Shane said quietly, a tinge of pink riding high on his ears. Ryan laughed fondly, with a note of surprise.

“Yeah. I get you. I mean, you could try hugging your phone, but it might get lost in those noodle arms.” He laughed, then added more seriously, “I miss being near you, too. I got kinda, I dunno, used to having you around as my personal pillow.”

“Yeah. So did I.” Shane agreed.

  
\-----

More months passed, including the difficult days of winter, until news of a vaccine started spreading.

“I’m getting on the schedule as soon as I can.” Shane said on their video call that night.

“I just put in my application form to get on the list. I can’t wait to fall asleep on you as soon as possible.” Ryan said with a tone that was only half-joking.

“You can come lay on me like a goddamn cat if you want to. I’m just happy I can see you again.” Shane responded. Except he didn’t say “see.” He said “ _hold_.”

Ryan looked away, suddenly bashful, as Shane mentally kicked himself for the slip. He went to speak up, to correct himself, but Ryan spoke before he could.

“Me too.” He said, touching the back of his neck idly.

Shane processed his words for a moment, whispering a quiet  _ oh _ in response before changing the subject.

“Well, I gotta go feed Obi, so I’ll uh, I’ll call you tomorrow alright?”

“Yeah, alright.” Ryan smiled easily. God, how Shane missed seeing that in person. “Goodnight Shane.”

“Night, Ry.”

  
\-----  
  
  


Three months later, Ryan and Shane were both recovered from their inoculations, and had set their first movie night in over a  _ year.  _ Shane felt practically magnetized to Ryan’s apartment door as he made his way up, feet moving faster than he thought he could move them. He was moments away from finally,  _ finally  _ having their “normal” back. It had been agonizingly  _ not normal  _ for so, so long.

He rang the doorbell. Before the echo even died out, the door swung open to a beautiful, beaming Ryan. They hesitated for only a moment, before wrapping one another up in a strong hug. Ryan sighed against Shane’s chest as Shane kissed the top of his head, running his fingers through his hair gently.

“I missed you so much.” He said, muffled against Shane’s jacket.

“I missed you too.” Shane answered, pressing another kiss into Ryan’s curls. Ryan pulled back a little to look up at him.

“A lot, I mean. Like, I’ve been dreaming of this, dumb as that sounds.”

Shane looked down at him fondly. “It’s not dumb at all.” He said quietly.

Ryan smiled for only a moment, his expression quickly falling into something else, something just outside of their  _ normal,  _ as he searched Shane’s face. He pushed up onto his toes, and Shane met him halfway without a second thought.

_ This is definitely past normal, _ Shane thought as Ryan’s lips met his own. But it was too sweet, too warm, too wonderful, too  _ Ryan  _ for him to even care right now. Shane kicked the door closed behind them, doing his damnedest not to break contact in doing so. Ryan laughed against his mouth, and Shane decided then and there that the sensation of Ryan smiling against his lips was his favorite touch they’d had yet, no contest.


End file.
